Never Alone Until the End
by thortillachips
Summary: After 300 years of slumber on the Botany Bay, Khan was finally awoken by Admiral Marcus. For the longest time, he believed he was the only one out of his entire crew to be awake in the current timeline. Not until the end, when he realizes that he was never alone to begin with.


"_Is there anything you wouldn't do for your family?"_

"What do you think is going to happen to us?"

"I'm afraid I do not understand what you might mean by that, my queen."

"No, I'm quite sure you do, Khan. Look at what's happening. We are at war with the rest of the world; everyone else who _isn't_ us. They do not care how you ruled your lands. They see us as a threat, and they will eventually come for us. It is inevitable. I know it. Look at what's happened to the others!"

"I'm sure we'll find a way out of this. I do have something in mind already, but it's something I cannot put forward without your consultation. You would know how to work and understand the idea better than I do, Nadia. That was the particular trait you were genetically engineered with."

The woman bit her bottom lip, moving her eyes to look elsewhere as their footsteps came to a halt, hesitant in what she should reply to her husband. Eventually, she shook her head and said, while still avoiding the expectant gaze of the man who was beside her. "What is it?"

"_For centuries we slept, hoping when we awoke things would be different."_

"Do you think when we wake up, it'll all be over?"

"I cannot say for certain, my love. We can only hope it will be, but even I cannot say for sure. Come, we have little time to spare. I must make sure we manage to launch as soon as possible."

"Khan… I'm worried."

"We'll be fine, I promise you. Now close your eyes so that I can start your cycle."

"No, not about this. I'm worried about what will happen if nothing's changed when we awake. What shall we do then? I'm worried about you, Khan. If people know what you're capable of, they would sought to use you and your abilities for their own gain-"

"I will not allow anyone to do so. And even if they did, you know I will not let such a thing slip by so easily."

"I know, and that's why I-"

"Nadia," Khan interrupted her once more, gripping her hand in his with a reassuring squeeze. "Close your eyes, and just continue taking deep breathes; even after I've closed the pods. I'm not sure which one of us will wake up first, but I think we both know what we have to do when the time comes."

"_My ship was found adrift. I alone was revived."_

She awoke with a start, as though the time that had passed since she'd first stepped into the pod seemed only to occur a few seconds ago. Surrounding her were people; people she did not recognize at all. Had their ship been compromised? No, it wasn't that…

Slowly, she sat up, looking around cautiously. Realizing the interior of where she was definitely was not that f her ship, she began to panic. She peered to her left, and she could see the rest of the pods, still intact, but under surveillance from people dressed in the same uniform that those she woke up to. On her right, there was only one pod, but she already knew who it belonged to.

"What is your name?" and old man spoke, approaching her as the others stepped back to give way to him. His voice caused her to snap away from her thoughts, and she turned to look at him. He was aged beyond his prime already, and he donned a slightly different suit than the rest of those on the ship so it was pretty obvious that he was of a higher position.

"I don't think it is any of your business to know my identity," she replied, putting on a nonchalant air as though to assert her position, though the title she once held was long gone already. She got out of her pod and unto her feet as the man came to a halt in front of her.

"Oh, on the contrary, I think I do. It is, after all my crew that 'salvaged' your ship, _The Botany Bay_ from being lost in the middle of nowhere. Which could only mean there is one person abroad, someone we could very much seek assistance from. Your captain."

Nadia swallowed, her fists clenching themselves as tightly as they could. "If you are going to attempt what I think you're doing then I must urge you _not_ to even attempt such an act. You do not know what your actions will unleash upon yourselves," she hissed through her teeth.

"Ma'am I believe you do not really understand why I'm here, do you? We are on the verge of a major war, ma'am, and we need the right people for the job."

"Then you have got the wrong crew, I'm afraid. We are not seeking a war, not anymore. Please direct your enlistment somewhere else."

The old man merely laughed, shaking his head. "If you are unwilling to co-operate then I guess there's no real reason to keep you here. Still, it would be a shame just to shove you back into that cramped space, don't you think? No, I think a prison cell will fit you better. Who knows? Perhaps it might come in handy in the future as an incentive. Take her away!"

"_There are men and women in all those torpedoes, Captain. I put them there."_

"Are there more of you in those torpedoes?"

Nadia looked up from her seat in the spacious, yet empty- not to mention cold- prison cell. A young woman with blonde hair was looking at her curiously, as though she had struck an important treasure.

"I- I beg your pardon?"

"The torpedoes… or pod, whatever you call them. My dad and his crew found you guys aboard your ship. You were the first one they managed to wake, didn't they? How many more are there?" the young girl pressed on with her questions.

Nadia tilted her head to the side inquisitively. "That man is your father? Who is he? Who are you people?"

"I'm Carol, daughter or Admiral Alexander Marcus… though most of the time I prefer to go by my mother's family name. Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you or anything, but if you want me to help you get out, then I'm afraid I'll have to ask for you to co-operate by answering my questions."

The other woman remained silent for a moment, wondering if she could really 'trust' this Carol. But… if it was a way for her to get out…

"Are you certain you will let me out if I agree to your interrogation?"

"Well, I can try. Might need a little more convincing than usual but I'll think of something!"

"… There were 84 of us excluding my husband when we first left. I do not know how many of us are still alive now."

"Your… husband?" Carol blinked.

"Khan. He was the one who planned for us to be put into the cyronic state that you found us in. I helped put through the idea to make it a reality. It is my speciality besides the usual genetic engineering we were made with, just as his is with durability and strength."

Carol nodded her head, as though attempting to digest the information that was given to her. "He's already been woken up. I saw it. When asked about his crew as the pods were being carried away, my father said there were 72 of you that made it. I'm not- I'm not sure if he was including you, but he was more than reluctant to grant Khan's wish of wanting to see the pods but he kept saying that the ones that made it were very much alive."

"He… Khan… Khan's awake?"

"You don't look too excited at the prospect of that. Is this a bad thing?"

Nadia shook her head slightly. "It's not that simple, and I think the idea of holding the others hostage isn't really a good one either. Tell me, was there- was there a catch that your father made with my husband if he were to be able to see them again?"

Carol shrugged her shoulders, looking disappointed that she couldn't gather that much intelligence about the issue to pass on. "I'm not really certain. I couldn't do much because I didn't want to risk being seen but he mentioned something about a war that's heading our way, and that he needed Khan to do the job. Something about… militarization. He gave him another name as well… something like… John- John Harrison. Is- Is there a catch to this? You must know him well! Please, if the information will be helpful in the near future, please tell me. I won't share this information with anyone else I don't trust, I promise."

"There's no need for such pleading. I can tell by your behaviour that I may trust you," Nadia replied with a small smile. "But Khan is protective over his crew. They are like his family. He will stop at nothing to ensure our safety, and when I say that... it means there might be a price to pay for what your father has done. I can only hope my gut feeling here is wrong. Khan must never find me. He must not know I am awake, especially now since he seems to be believing a lie than I'm in one of those pods. It will be too dangerous for everyone."

The blonde-haired girl looked down to the floor, thinking of what to do next. "I might have something in mind… but we really need to be incognito about it. It's a little crazy as well but I'll brief you as much as I can once you're up and free. The question is… are you willing to go along with it? The whole way through?"

"_John Harrison was a fiction created the moment I was awoken by your Admiral Marcus to help him advance his cause, a smokescreen to conceal my true identity."_

Thus the year passed by quickly; a new name, and identity and, much like time and relationships, Carol and Nadia managed to get alone pretty well. There were times where Nadia would like to think of Carol as someone her daughter might have grown up to be but of course, such a thought was all too silly. Their age difference weren't that far off, and Nadia _did_ manage to retain her physical age despite being asleep for the past 300 years. People would have thought there was something off with her.

Then… there was him. He who she would catch glimpses of every now and then, wondering what he was up to. Most of the time he seemed to be talking to Admiral Marcus, other times he would be spotted doing things such as combat training with the recruits, more often not causing the latter party to end up sustaining painful injuries after the fight. It did bring relief to her that, even if for a moment, he seemed to be fine, but she knew she couldn't show herself to him. It would be a disaster to. There would be too many questions, too many things to be explained, and even she could not begin to think how he might react to the situation if he found out that she was alive and well just like him.

But of course, she should have also supposed that there would be situations where meeting each other face-to-face would be impossible.

She'd been walking along the corridors of Starfleet Headquarters, presumably seeking out someone when, like an act of some tacky coincidence or fate, Nadia had walked into someone just as she and the other were turning a corner.

"I'm sorry," she was quick to mutter, quickly looking up at the face of the person she had bumped into. Her eyes went wide, realizing the face she knew all too well. He, on the other hand, seemed to regard her calmly, though his eyes were also saying otherwise. They scanned her face; every inch of it, like he recognized her but he was hesitant in proposing the question.

"It's no matter," John (as he was now known as) replied. "Although it would be advisable to look the next time you are turning corners, no?"

"Kh-!" Nadia shut her mouth quickly, swallowing nervously at the way he narrowed his eyes at her at the almost-mention of his real name. She gave a small nod. "Of- Of course. Forgive me, my mind seemed to wander off for a moment there, Mr. Harrison."

"You know my name. Are we acquainted?" he asked, his tone bearing a hint of suspicion.

Yes, we are! I'm your wife, Khan! Nadia felt like bursting out then and there, but she knew she had to remain cool. For both their sake. Instead, she shook her head, putting on a polite smile. "I'm afraid not, but you _are_ quite known amongst the people here, Mr. Harrison, so it shouldn't be a surprise that some of us know of you."

He seemed to buy her story… _seemed_ being the key word. Nadia continued to look up at him, raising an eyebrow as though to ask; "Is there something wrong?" Moments later, and much to her relief, 'John Harrison' seemed to relax his posture, returning the polite smile she had given him earlier in a similar manner.

"Forgive me. I could not help but about how much you reminded me of someone I once knew. You two share an uncanny resemblance; it is hard not to think of her seeing your face. We met in similar circumstances as well, except she was idling around with her friend and didn't care to look when turning the corner."

"Oh," Nadia nodded her head slowly, a light flush appearing on her cheeks at the flashback of their first meeting that was very much similar to what just happened. "I'm not quite sure how I should react to such a comment, Mr. Harrison."

"It's no matter. The information is unimportant. What is your name?"

She blinked for a moment before darting her eyes elsewhere, proceeding to avoid all other eye contact with him. "Uhm… Rebecca, sir. Rebecca Frost."

"Rebecca Frost?" John raised an eyebrow. He didn't sound too convinced. Was she being played the whole time? What if he was going to ask her something that would blow away her position? Nadia's mind began to play out the thousand different replies she could say in case the situation arose; but none seemed to make any sense. "That ring you have, on your left finger. Let me see it."

Crap! She didn't think it was important to have that item removed, since she didn't expect to run into him anytime soon… not by accident, at least. Nadia was hesitant at his request; he would recognize the ring straight away. Naturally, of course, since it was he who presented her with the gift. She could tell he was growing impatient and she needed to think of something fast.

"Rebecca!"

She closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. Behind her, she could hear the footsteps of Carol jogging towards her and never had she been gladder to know the woman.

"I've been looking for you! There's some exciting news I have to tell you about, and- oh, Mr. Harrison! I didn't notice you there," Carol turned to look at John as though she _just_ noticed him. She put on a smile. "I hope I'm not bothering you two with anything? I didn't even know you two knew each other!"

"We don't. I'm afraid out conversation here was merely out of pure coincidence," John replied, not tearing his eyes away from Nadia, who was still trying not to meet his gaze.

"Then you don't mind if I steal her away from you? I mean, you know… if there's…" Carol glanced between the two of them.

"Not at all. Though I will remind you to pay attention when walking next time, Miss Frost. Dismissed."

"Oh, Carol. I can't tell you how grateful I am for what you did back there," Nadia whispered softly as the two walked away at a considerable distance from John. "He put me in a tight spot. It was getting harder to find a way out."

"I could see that. I'm just glad I got there in time. What did he want?"

"He wanted to see our- my wedding ring. I didn't take it off because I'd grown accustomed to it and found it of little use to take it off. He would have recognized it straight away," she replied, glancing over her shoulders before looking back at Carol. "He's still watching us. I hope he hasn't suspected anything amiss yet."

Carol mimicked Nadia's action, looking over her shoulder. She bit her bottom lip, looking at her friend apologetically. "I'm afraid I can't reassure you on that one. I'm sorry."

"_I see all 72 torpedoes are still in their tubes. If they're not mine, Commander, I will know it."_

"Are you sure this plan will work?"

"Somewhat. But it's better than nothing and we _have_ to stop your husband from going completely insane as well as my father from completely obliterating everyone!"

"I have already been assigned on the Enterprise, so there will be no problem on me getting on that ship. But what about yourself, Carol?"

"I already have something in mind. Now all I need to do is hope that I don't get found out by the crew that easily," Carol replied, fixing up her suit. "Our main concern are the torpedoes. Admiral Marcus says that they are nuclear weapons designed to be launched at John Harrison once we get to the planet he's hiding on, but if what you said was true..."

"I am sure of it. Khan designed them, and there are 72 of them getting on that ship. Of course, there is no harm in making it completely certain of what is inside them… but we would need an opportunity to properly investigate what's inside. If what I have come to is correct, then you should find one of the crew members in there."

"I'll think of a way. Now come on, we have to go before everyone leaves before us. Look! There's Captain Kirk already," Carol pointed out towards the man who had just walked past them, a sign that they should get a move on soon.

"_He used my friends to control me. I tried to smuggle them to safety by concealing them in the very weapons I have designed. But I was discovered. I had no choice but to escape alone. And when I did, I had every reason to suspect that Marcus had killed every single one of the people I hold most dear."_

She could see everything clearly. His final moments as they drew blood from his restrained blood, before falling back to the sleep he was awoken from. Without seeing her, without knowing that she'd been there in the same place as him the whole time. Beside her stood Commander Spock, who had knowledge of everything that had taken place, especially after he'd discovered Carol's true identity, and Nadia felt grateful to him that he hadn't said any word of _her_ true nature to anyone else.

"I suppose you would like to see him one last time before he goes," he spoke, causing Nadia to snap from her thoughts and turn to face him. "Perhaps you should while you still can. I believe he may still think you are one of the people in the pod. Now would be the correct time to reassure him, and let him know what you have decided."

"Thank you, commander," Nadia thanked the other, promptly making her move to enter the medical bay. Behind her, Spock followed suit.

"Khan," she spoke as she walked into the room with her voice quivering, and on the verge of tears.

"Nadia," he replied, sitting up. She promptly threw herself around him with a sob, and, as much as he would have loved to hold her tightly, he couldn't. Not with the shackles on his wrist. Khan closed his eyes to blink away his own tears, burying his face into her. "You're awake. But how?"

Nadia pulled away, cupping his cheeks. "I was the first. But they never told you that, they wouldn't. Not after how much they needed you for their cause. As for myself, I knew I couldn't either. It would be too dangerous and I- I didn't want you to act as recklessly as you already did if you'd known I was already here. But we did meet, once. Just once. The same way we did when we first met 300 years ago."

"Rebecca Frost," said Khan. "I did have my suspicions, but it was something that was hard to believe. I was told I was the only one awoken, so seeing you then… I had thought it was impossible. Then I noticed your ring and again, my suspicion grew. The only way to make sure was to get the pods, and to see for myself, each and every one them. But you were not there, and I was beginning to fear the worst."

"It's alright, Khan. Now you know, and I'm here. We're… we're both here. I've never been so happier to see you," she replied with a smile. Her eyes moved down to his wrists, and she turned to look at the others behind her. "He won't do anything else. So please, just for a few minutes."

The guards seemed hesitant to comply her request at first, but they eventually agreed to do so upon the reassurance of Carol and Spock. Once free, Khan instantly reached up to touch Nadia's face, running his hands through her hair with his expression softening as though realizing that she was real.

"I have dreamed of you endlessly, my love. Of days when you and I are together, as complete family, in a world at peace. Where we do not have to worry about those who seek to do harm to us. And here you are right now, in the flesh. Finally… finally I know that this, for once… is not a dream," he pressed his lips to her forehead gratefully, tears running down from both of them.

"Come with me, Nadia. Let us both go back to sleep together, and wake up in such a time," said Khan, pleading with her to go with him.

"I- Khan," Nadia bit her lip, pressing her forehead against his. "Khan I- I've made my choice. I'm staying here with the Enterprise. It was hard to decide but it is something I've decided to abide to. I'm sorry, my love. I cannot follow you back."

"Nadia… please- please do not leave me alone. If you are not going then I would rather-"

"No," she shook her head. "You need to rest. It is still too dangerous for you out there, especially after what happened. You will not be alone in sleep, my Khan. I will always be beside you, both in dreams and here, in the Enterprise with the rest of your crew. Someone needs to protect you and the crew, after all," Nadia gave a sad smile, caressing his cheek.

"It is time. I apologize for the disturbance but we must get Khan back into his pod as soon as possible," Spock interrupted, and Nadia nodded her head quietly, pulling away from Khan but slipping her fingers into his as she helped him get to his feet.

"I will follow you into where we need to go, Khan, but I will remain here, in the present," Nadia explained, looking down at their interlaced fingers. It would be the last time in a while that they would be able to do this, and she was trying her best to embrace every moment of it, so it may remain a good memory in her during their time apart.

"_So tell me. Why did you allow me to live?"_

"Rest well, my love. When you wake, hopefully it will be a time of peace. For all of us," Nadia knelt beside his pod, hands still holding on firmly to his. "There will be no need for us to fight anymore. We will have no part in it."

"I would like to hope so, but we both know that is something we might not be able to avoid," replied Khan, squeezing her hand. "Nevertheless, it is… a nice thought."

"I'll see you in 5 years. I will come to see you regularly in here, though. By the time you wake, we'll be a mere 2 years apart from each other, seeing as I will continue to age from this point on," Nadia said, pressing her lips to his forehead one last time.

Khan smiled at the action. "I love you."

Nadia chuckled, quickly wiping a stray tear hearing his words. "I have not heard such a phrase in 300 years."

"And I have not uttered such words in the same time period," Khan replied.

"I love you too, Khan. Just as I always have, and always will," Nadia moved away to allow the Enterprise crew to close the pod, holding tightly onto her hand one last time before finally allowing them to slip away from his grasp. Slowly, but surely, his eyes began to grow heavy and soon, Khan was back in the cyronic state that he had previously been found in, back into darkness.


End file.
